The city had a population of 932,546 in 2016, making it Alberta's second-largest city and Canada's fifth-largest municipality.[5] Also in 2016, Edmonton had a metropolitan population of 1,321,426, making it the sixth-largestcensus metropolitan area (CMA) in Canada.[7] Edmonton is North America's northernmost metropolitan area with a population over one million. A resident of Edmonton is known as an Edmontonian.[15]

Edmonton is a cultural, governmental and educational centre. It hosts a year-round slate of festivals, reflected in the nickname "Canada's Festival City".[1] It is home to North America's largest mall, West Edmonton Mall (the world's largest mall from 1981 until 2004),[20] and Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest living history museum.[21]

The earliest known inhabitants arrived in the area that is now Edmonton around 3,000 BC and perhaps as early as 12,000 BC when an ice-free corridor opened as the last glacial period ended and timber, water, and wildlife became available in the region.[22]

The last of five Fort Edmontons was constructed in 1830. It was the third to be built within present day Edmonton.

The coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to southern Alberta in 1885 helped the Edmonton economy, and the 1891 building of the Calgary and Edmonton (C&E) Railway resulted in the emergence of a railway townsite (South Edmonton/Strathcona) on the river's south side, across from Edmonton. The arrival of the CPR and the C&E Railway helped bring settlers and entrepreneurs from eastern Canada, Europe, U.S. and other parts of the world. The Edmonton area's fertile soil and cheap land attracted settlers, further establishing Edmonton as a major regional commercial and agricultural centre. Some people participating in the Klondike Gold Rush passed through South Edmonton/Strathcona in 1897. Strathcona was North America's northernmost railway point, but travel to the Klondike was still very difficult for the "Klondikers," and a majority of them took a steamship north to the Yukon from Vancouver, British Columbia.[28]

Incorporated as a town in 1892 with a population of 700 and then as a city in 1904 with a population of 8,350,[29] Edmonton became the capital of Alberta when the province was formed a year later, on September 1, 1905.[30] In November 1905, the Canadian Northern Railway (CNR) arrived in Edmonton, accelerating growth.[31]

During the early 1900s, Edmonton's rapid growth led to speculation in real estate. In 1912, Edmonton amalgamated with the City of Strathcona, south of the North Saskatchewan River; as a result, the city extended south of the North Saskatchewan River for the first time.[32]

Just before World War I, the boom ended, and the city's population declined from more than 72,000 in 1914 to less than 54,000 only two years later.[33] Many impoverished families moved to subsistence farms outside the city, while others fled to greener pastures in other provinces.[34] Recruitment to the army during the war also contributed to the drop in population.[35] Afterwards, the city slowly recovered in population and economy during the 1920s and 1930s and took off again during and after World War II.

In 1892 Edmonton was incorporated as a town. The first mayor was Matthew McCauley, who established the first school board in Edmonton and Board of Trade (later Chamber of Commerce) and a municipal police service.[40] Due to mayor McCauley's good relationship with the federal Liberals this helped Edmonton to maintain political prominence over Strathcona, a rival settlement on the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River.[40] Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904 and became the capital of Alberta in 1905.

Unions and radical organizations such as the Industrial Workers of the World struggled for progressive social change through the early years, with the first reformer, James East, being elected in 1912, followed by the first official Labour alderman, James Kinney, the following year. Many thousands of workers participated in the Edmonton general strike of 1919 and a strong block of Labour representatives were on council after the next election: James Kinney, James East, Sam McCoppen, Rice Sheppard and Joe Clarke.

The City used the STV-PR (Single Transferable Vote - proportional representation) for elections from 1923 to 1927, in which the mayor and councillors were elected at large with ranked transferable votes.

Labour representation on city council would become a near-majority in 1929, and, during the Great Depression, a full majority from 1932 to 1934.[41] Jan Reimer became the city's first female mayor, when she was elected in 1989.[42][43]

Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River, at an elevation of 671 metres (2,201 ft).[30] Edmonton is the most northerly city in North America with a metropolitan population of over one million. It is at the same latitude as Hamburg (Germany), Dublin (Ireland), Manchester (United Kingdom), and Magnitogorsk (Russia). North as it is, it is south of the geographic centre of Alberta, which is located near the Hamlet of Fort Assiniboine.[44] The terrain in and around Edmonton is generally flat to gently rolling, with ravines and deep river valleys, such as the North Saskatchewan River valley.[45] The Canadian Rockies are located about 220 km (140 mi) to the southwest.

The city is among the Canadian cities with the coldest winters, though milder than Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg,[53] all of which are south of Edmonton in latitude. Its average daily temperatures range from a low of −10.4 °C (13.3 °F) in January to a summer peak of 17.7 °C (63.9 °F) in July.[54] With average maximum of 23.1 °C (73.6 °F) in July, and minimum of −14.8 °C (5.4 °F) in January.[55] Annually, temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) for an average of four to five days anytime from late April to mid-September and fall below −20 °C (−4 °F) for an average of 24.6 days. The highest temperature recorded within the City of Edmonton was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F), on June 29, 1937.[56]
On July 2, 2013, a record high humidex of 43 was recorded, due to an unusually humid day with a temperature of 33.9 °C (93.0 °F) and a record high dew point of 23 °C (73.4 °F).[57][58]
The lowest overall temperature ever recorded in Edmonton was −49.4 °C (−56.9 °F), on January 19 and 21, 1886.[59]

Typically, summer lasts from late June until early September, and the humidity is seldom uncomfortably high. Winter lasts from November to March, and varies greatly in length and severity. Spring and autumn are both short and highly variable. Edmonton's growing season is from May 9 to September 22;[54][60] Edmonton averages 135-140 frost free days a year.[54][61] At the summer solstice, Edmonton receives seventeen hours and three minutes of daylight, with an hour and forty-six minutes of civil twilight.[62] On average Edmonton receives 2,299 hours of bright sunshine[63] per year and is one of Canada's sunniest cities.[54]

The summer of 2006 was a particularly warm one for Edmonton, as temperatures reached 29 °C (84 °F) or higher more than 20 times during the year, from as early as mid-May and again in early September. The winter of 2011–12 was particularly warm; from December 22, 2011, till March 20, 2012, on 53 occasions Edmonton saw temperatures at or above 0.0 °C (32.0 °F) at the City Centre Airport.[64][65][66][67]

Edmonton has a fairly dry climate. On average, it receives 476.9 millimetres (18.78 in) of precipitation, of which 365.7 millimetres (14.40 in) is rain and 111.2 millimetres (4.38 in) is the melt from 123.5 centimetres (48.6 in) of snowfall per annum.[54] Precipitation is heaviest in the late spring, summer, and early autumn. The wettest month is July, while the driest months are February, March, October, and November.[54] In July, the mean precipitation is 91.7 mm (3.61 in).[54] Dry spells are not uncommon and may occur at any time of the year. Extremes do occur, such as the 114 mm (4.49 in) of rainfall that fell on July 31, 1953.[54] Summer thunderstorms can be frequent and occasionally severe enough to produce large hail, damaging winds, funnel clouds, and occasionally tornadoes. Twelve tornadoes had been recorded in Edmonton between 1890 and 1989,[68] and eight since 1990.[69] A F4 tornado that struck Edmonton on July 31, 1987, killing 27, was unusual in many respects, including severity, duration, damage, and casualties.[citation needed][70][71] It is commonly referred to as Black Friday due both to its aberrant characteristics and the emotional shock it generated.[72] Then-mayor Laurence Decore cited the community's response to the tornado as evidence that Edmonton was a "city of champions," which later became an unofficial slogan of the city.[1][73]

A massive cluster of thunderstorms occurred on July 11, 2004, with large hail and over 100 mm (4 in) of rain reported within the space of an hour in many places.[74] This "1-in-200 year event" flooded major intersections and underpasses and damaged both residential and commercial properties. The storm caused extensive damage to West Edmonton Mall; a small glass section of the roof collapsed under the weight of the rainwater, causing water to drain onto the mall's indoor ice rink. As a result, the mall was forced to undergo an evacuation as a precautionary measure.[75]

The individual economic development interests and costs of service delivery in certain municipalities within the region has led to intermunicipal competition, strained intermunicipal relationships and overall fragmentation of the region. Although several attempts have been made by the City of Edmonton to absorb surrounding municipalities[83] or annex portions of its neighbours,[84] the city has not absorbed another municipality since the Town of Jasper Place joined Edmonton on August 17, 1964,[85] and the city has not annexed land from any of its neighbours since January 1, 1982.[86] After years of mounting pressure in the early 21st century, the Province of Alberta formed the Capital Region Board (CRB) on April 15, 2008.[87] The CRB consists of 24 member municipalities – 22 of which are within the Edmonton CMA and two of which are outside the CMA. The City of Edmonton subsequently announced in March 2013 its intent to annex 156 square kilometres of land (including the Edmonton International Airport) from Leduc County.[88]

On November 30, 2016, the City of Edmonton and Leduc County came to an agreement on Edmonton's annexation proposal. The City of Edmonton will annex 29,900 acres (121 km2) of land from Leduc County and Beaumont, including the Edmonton International Airport, as a result.[89]

Victoria Promenade in the residential neighbourhood of Oliver. The neighbourhood borders downtown Edmonton.

Edmonton is divided into 375 neighbourhoods[90] within 7 geographic sectors – a mature area sector, which includes neighbourhoods that were essentially built out prior to 1970,[91] and 6 surrounding suburban sectors.[92]

Houses in Crestwood, a residential neighbourhood typical of most suburban areas of Edmonton.

Several transit-oriented developments (TOD) have begun to appear along the LRT line at Clareview, with future developments planned at Belvedere (part of the Old Town Fort Road Redevelopment Project).[99] Another TOD, called Century Park,[100] is being constructed at the site of what was once Heritage Mall, at the southern end of the LRT line. Century Park will eventually house up to 5,000 residents.[101]

The Edmonton City Centre Airport is planned to be redeveloped into a sustainable community of 30,000 people comprising a transit-oriented mixed use town centre, townhouses, low, medium and high rise apartments, neighbourhood retail and service uses, and a major park.[102]

Edmonton has four major industrial districts – the Northwest Industrial District, the Northeast Industrial District, the Southeast Industrial District and the emerging Edmonton Energy and Technology Park,[103] which is part of Alberta's Industrial Heartland.[104] The northwest, northeast and southeast districts each have smaller industrial areas and neighbourhoods within them.[93][103]

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Edmonton recorded a population of 932,546 living in 360,828 of its 387,950 total private dwellings, a change of 7001148000000000000♠14.8% from its 2011 population of 812,201. With a land area of 685.25 km2 (264.58 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,360.8841,360.9/km2 (3,524.6743,524.7/sq mi) in 2016.[5]

The population of the City of Edmonton according to its 2016 municipal census is 899,447,[9] a change of 7000240000000000000♠2.4% from its 2014 municipal census population of 877,926.[129] The 2016 census captured more detailed demographic information on residents, including age and gender, marital status, employment status, length of residency, prior residence, employment transportation mode, citizenship, school residency, economic diversity, city resource access, highest educational attainment, household language and income, as well as dwellings and properties, including ownership, structure and status.[130] Per its municipal census policy,[131] the city's next municipal census is scheduled for 2019.

In the 2011 Census, the City of Edmonton had a population of 812,201 living in 324,756 of its 348,672 total dwellings, a change of 11.2% from its 2006 population of 730,372. With a land area of 684.37 km2 (264.24 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,186.7861,186.8/km2 (3,073.7633,073.8/sq mi) in 2011.[132] The census also reported that 50.2 percent of the population (407,325) was female while 49.8 percent (404,875) was male. The average age of the city's population was 36.0 years while there was an average 2.5 people per household.[133]

The Edmonton census metropolitan area (CMA) has the fifth-greatest population of CMAs in Canada and the second-greatest in Alberta, but has the largest land area in Canada. It had a population of 1,159,869 in the 2011 Census compared to its 2006 population of 1,034,945. Its five-year population change of 12.1 percent was second only to the Calgary CMA between 2006 and 2011. With a land area of 9,426.73 km2 (3,639.68 sq mi), the Edmonton CMA had a population density of 123.040123.0/km2 (318.673318.7/sq mi) in 2011.[77]Statistics Canada's latest estimate of the Edmonton CMA population, as of July 1, 2016 is 1,363,300 [134]

The Edmonton population centre is the core[135] of the Edmonton CMA. This core includes the cities of Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan and St. Albert, the Sherwood Park portion of Strathcona County, and portions of Parkland County and Sturgeon County.[136] The Edmonton population centre, the fifth-largest in Canada, had a population of 960,015 in 2011, an 11.3 percent increase over its 2006 population of 862,544.[137]

In 2016, people of European ethnicities formed the largest cluster of ethnic groups in Edmonton. These included ethnicities mostly of English, Scottish, German, Irish, Ukrainian, Polish, and French origin.[138] According to the 2016 census, the population of Edmonton was 55.8 percent European in origin and 6.4 percent Aboriginal (including Métis), while visible minorities accounted for 37.8 percent of the population. As a portion of Edmonton's total population, 29.3% reported Asian ethnic origins (7.44% Chinese, 6.24% Filipino, 1.5% Vietnamese; 9.6% were South Asian, including 7.44% identified as East Indian), 2.34% reported Latin American origins, and 7.5% reported African and Caribbean origins.[139] 17.4% of the population identified themselves to be of "Canadian" ethnic origin.[139]

Edmonton is the major economic centre for northern and central Alberta and a major centre for the oil and gas industry. As of 2014, the estimated value of major projects within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region was $57.8-billion, of which $34.4-billion are within the oil and gas, oil sands and pipeline sectors.[150]

Edmonton traditionally has been a hub for Albertan petrochemical industries, earning it the nickname "Oil Capital of Canada" in the 1940s.[151] Supply and service industries drive the energy extraction engine, while research develops new technologies and supports expanded value-added processing of Alberta's massive oil, gas, and oil sands reserves. These are reported to be the second-largest in the world, after Saudi Arabia.[152]

Much of the growth in technology sectors is due to Edmonton's reputation as one of Canada’s premier research and education centres. Research initiatives are anchored by educational institutions such as the University of Alberta (U of A) as well as government initiatives underway at the Alberta Research Council and Edmonton Research Park. The U of A campus is home to the National Institute for Nanotechnology.[153]

During the 1970s and 1980s, Edmonton became a major financial centre, with both regional offices of Canada's major banks and locally based institutions opening.[154] However, the turmoil of the late-1980s economy radically changed the situation. Locally based operations such as Principal Trust and Canadian Commercial Bank[155] would fail, and some regional offices were moved to other cities. The 1990s saw a solidification of the economy, and Edmonton is now home to Canadian Western Bank, the only publicly traded Schedule I chartered bank headquarters west of Toronto.[156] Other major financial centres include ATB Financial, Servus Credit Union (formerly Capital City Savings), TD Canada Trust and Manulife Financial.[157]

Edmonton's geographical location has made it an ideal spot for distribution and logistics. CN Rail's North American operational facility is located in the city, as well as a major intermodal facility that handles all incoming freight from the port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia.[160]

Edmonton also has many big box shopping centres and power centres. Some of the major ones include South Edmonton Common (North America's largest open air retail development),[164] Mayfield Common, Westpoint, Skyview Power Centre, Terra Losa Centre, Oliver Square, Southpark Centre, The Meadows, Christy's Corner, Currents of Windermere, and Manning Village.[165]

In contrast to suburban centres, Edmonton has many urban retail locations. The largest of them all, Old Strathcona, includes many independent stores between 99 Street and 109 Street on Whyte Avenue and area.[166] In around the downtown of Edmonton, there are a small handful of shopping districts, such as previously mentioned Edmonton City Centre mall, Jasper Avenue and 104 Street. Near Oliver, 124 Street is home to a significant number of retail stores. Edmonton is the Canadian testing-ground for many American retailers, such as Bath & Body Works and Calvin Klein.[167]

Many events are anchored in the downtown Arts District, centred around Churchill Square (named in honour of Sir Winston Churchill). On the south side of the river, the University district and Whyte Avenue contain theatres, concert halls, and various live music venues. The centrepiece of the square builds a life-size bronze statue of Churchill, unveiled by Lady Soames on May 24, 1989. It is a copy of a statue made by Oscar Nemon.

The Francis Winspear Centre for Music[168] was opened in 1997 after years of planning and fundraising.[169] Described as one of the most acoustically perfect concert halls in Canada, it is home to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and hosts a wide variety of shows every year. It seats 1,932 patrons and houses the $3-million Davis Concert Organ, the largest concert organ in Canada.[170] Across 102 Avenue is the Citadel Theatre, named after The Salvation Army Citadel in which Joe Shoctor first started the Citadel Theatre Company in 1965. It is now one of the largest theatre complexes in Canada, with five halls, each specializing in different kinds of productions.[171] In 2015, the Citadel Theatre also became home to Catalyst Theatre. On the University of Alberta grounds is the 2,534-seat Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, which had over a year of heavy renovations as part of the province's 2005 centennial celebrations. Both it and its southern twin in Calgary were constructed in 1955 for the province's golden jubilee and have hosted many concerts, musicals, and ballets. The Edmonton Opera uses the Jubilee as its base of operations. On the front of the building is a quote from Suetonius' Life of Augustus: "He found a city built of brick – left it built of marble."

Edmonton plays host to several large festivals each year, contributing to its nickname, "Canada's Festival City".[1] Downtown Edmonton's Churchill Square host numerous festivals each summer. The Works Art & Design Festival, which takes place from late June to early July, showcases Canadian and international art and design from well-known award-winning artists as well as emerging and student artists. The Edmonton International Street Performer's Festival[175] takes place in mid-July and showcases street performance artists from around the world.

Edmonton's main summer festival is K-Days, formerly Klondike Days, Capital Ex and originally the Edmonton Exhibition.[176] Founded in 1879, the Edmonton Exhibition was originally an annual fair and exhibition that eventually adopted a gold rush theme, becoming Klondike Days in the 1960s.[176]Northlands, the operators, renamed the festival to "Edmonton's Capital Ex" or "Capital Ex" in 2006.[176] In 2012, Edmonton Northlands conducted a poll to rename the festival that resulted in changing the name to "K-Days".[176] Activities include carnival rides and fairways, music, trade shows, and daily fireworks.[177] The Canadian Finals Rodeo was held in Edmonton from 1974 to 2017, but moved to Red Deer in 2018 due to the closure of the Coliseum.[178]

In the city's early days, music was performed in churches and community halls. Edmonton has a history of opera and classical music performance; both genres historically have been supported by a variety of clubs and associations. Edmonton's first major radio station, CKUA, began broadcasting music in 1927.[184] The city is a centre for music instruction; the University of Alberta began its music department in 1945, and MacEwan University opened a jazz and musical theatre program in 1980. Festivals of jazz, folk, and classical music are popular entertainment events in the city.[185]

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra has existed under various incarnations since 1913. In 1952, the Edmonton Philharmonic and the Edmonton Pops orchestras amalgamated to form the 60-member modern version. The Orchestra performs at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music.[186]

There are several key areas of nightlife in the city of Edmonton. The most popular is the Whyte Avenue (82 Avenue) strip, located between 109 Street and 99 Street; it has the highest number of heritage buildings in Edmonton,[189] and the nightlife (bars, clubs, and restaurants) are located throughout, but mostly west of Gateway Boulevard (103 Street). Once the heart of the town of Strathcona (annexed by Edmonton on February 1, 1912), it fell into disrepair during the middle of the 20th century.[190] Beginning in the 1970s, a coordinated effort to revive the area through the establishment of a business revitalization zone has produced an area rich with restored historical buildings and pleasant streetscapes.[105] Its proximity to the University of Alberta has led to a high number of establishments ranging from restaurants and pubs to trendy clubs while hosting a wide variety of retail and specialty shops during the day. This area also contains two independent movie theatres: the Garneau and Princess theatres, as well as several live theatre, music, and comedy venues.[191]

Downtown Edmonton has undergone a continual process of renewal and growth since the mid-1990s. Many buildings were demolished during the oil boom, starting in the 1960s and continuing into the 1980s, to make way for office towers. As such, there have always been numerous pub-type establishments, as well as many hotel lounges and restaurants. The past decade has seen a strong resurgence in more mainstream venues. Edmonton also has a high demand for pub crawl tours in the city. Various clubs are also to be found along Edmonton's main street, Jasper Avenue. The Edmonton City Centre mall also houses a Landmark Cinemas movie theatre, featuring nine screens. The nonprofit Metro Cinema[192] shows a variety of alternative or otherwise unreleased films every week.

West Edmonton Mall holds several after-hour establishments in addition to its many stores and attractions. Bourbon Street has numerous eating establishments; clubs and casinos can also be found within the complex. Scotiabank Theatre (formerly known as Silver City), at the west end of the mall, is a theatre that features twelve screens and an IMAX.[20]

Edmonton's river valley constitutes the longest stretch of connected urban parkland in North America, and Edmonton has the highest amount of parkland per capita of any Canadian city; the river valley is 22 times larger than New York City's Central Park.[193] The river valley is home to various parks ranging from fully serviced urban parks to campsite-like facilities with few amenities. This main "Ribbon of Green" is supplemented by numerous neighbourhood parks located throughout the city, to give a total of 111 km2 (27,400 acres) of parkland.[193] Within the 7,400 ha (18,000 acres), 25 km (16 mi)-long river valley park system, there are 11 lakes, 14 ravines, and 22 major parks, and most of the city has accessible bike and walking trail connections.[194] These trails are also part of the 235 km (146 mi) Waskahegan walking trail. The City of Edmonton has named five parks in its River Valley Parks System in honour of each of "The Famous Five".[195]

Several golf courses, both public and private, are also located in the river valley; the long summer daylight hours of this northern city provide for extended play from early morning well into the evening.[198] Golf courses and the park system become a winter recreation area during this season, and cross-country skiing and skating are popular during the long winter. Four downhillski slopes are located in the river valley as well, two within the city and two immediately outside.[199]

A variety of volunteer opportunities exist for citizens to participate in the stewardship of Edmonton's parkland and river valley. Volunteer programs include River Valley Clean-up, Root for Trees, and Partner in Parks.[200] River Valley Clean-up engages volunteers to pick up hundreds of bags of litter each year.

Construction for the Royal Alberta Museum's new building, which opened in early October 2018. The museum is the largest museum in Alberta by floorspace.

There are many museums in Edmonton of various sizes.[201] The largest is the Royal Alberta Museum (RAM), which was formerly known as the Provincial Museum of Alberta until it was renamed in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's 2005 Alberta centennial visit. The RAM houses over 10 million objects in its collection and showcases the culture and practices of the diverse aboriginal tribes of the region. In 2018, the building relocated from its location in Glenora to a new building in downtown on 103A Avenue and 97 Street. The museum held a grand opening event and gave out 40,000 free tickets for its first few days of operation.[202]

The Telephone Historical Centre is a telephone museum also located in the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. In addition to a collection of artifacts tracing the history of the telephone, the museum has its own theatre featuring a brief film led by the robot Xeldon.[205]

Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest living history museum, is located in the river valley southwest of the city centre. Edmonton's heritage is displayed through historical buildings (many of which are originals moved to the park), costumed historical interpreters, and authentic artifacts. In total, it covers the region's history from approximately 1795 to 1929 (represented by Fort Edmonton), followed chronologically by 1885, 1905, and 1920 streets, and a recreation of a 1920s midway. A steam train, streetcars, automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles may be seen in operation (and utilized by the public) around the park. The John Walter Museum and Historical Area (c. 1875 to 1901) is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.[207] The University of Alberta operates its own internal Museums and Collections service.[208]

The Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) is the city's largest single gallery. Formerly housed in an iconic 1970s Brutalist building designed by Don Bittorf,[209] the AGA collection had over 5,000 pieces of art. The former AGA building was demolished in July 2007 to make way for construction of a new facility designed by Randall Stout. It was estimated to cost over $88-million and the amount that Edmonton City Council donated towards its construction was met with some controversy. The AGA officially opened on January 31, 2010.[210] Independent galleries can be found throughout the city, especially along the 124 Street/Jasper Avenue corridor, known as the "gallery walk".[211]

The Edmonton City Council consists of a mayor and twelve councillors serving four-year terms. Each councillor is elected in a ward (electoral district); the mayor is elected at-large. The elections are non-partisan. Council has the responsibility of approving the city's budget, and develops laws and policies intended to promote the health and safety of Edmonton residents. The Council passes all legislation related to the city's police, firefighting, parks, libraries, and electricity, water supply, solid waste, and drainage utilities.

On July 22, 2009, City Council adopted an electoral system that divides Edmonton into 12 wards, instead of the previous two for each of six wards. This system came into effect with the following election in October 2010.[219] The most recent election was held in October 2017, and elected members to a four-year term.

The city's police force, the Edmonton Police Service, was founded in 1892, and had approximately 1,400 officers in 2012.[223] Edmonton experienced a decrease in crime in the 1990s, an increase in the early 2000s,[224] and another downturn at the end of the decade.

The Edmonton census metropolitan area (CMA) had a crime severity index of 84.5 in 2013, which is higher than the national average of 68.7.[225] Its crime severity index was the fifth-highest among CMAs in Canada behind Regina, Saskatoon, Kelowna and Vancouver.[225] Edmonton had the fourth-most homicides in 2013 at 27.[225]

The Canadian Airborne Training Centre had been located in the city in the 1980s. The move of 1 CMBG and component units from Calgary occurred in 1996 in what was described as a cost-saving measure.[227] The brigade had existed in Calgary since the 1950s, and Lord Strathcona's Horse had traditionally been a Calgary garrison unit dating back to before World War I.

Edmonton is a major air transportation gateway to northern Alberta and northern Canada.[30] The Edmonton International Airport (EIA) is the main airport serving the city.

The EIA provides passenger service to destinations in the United States, Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The EIA is located within Leduc County, adjacent to the City of Leduc and the Nisku Industrial Business Park. With direct air distances from Edmonton to places such as London in Europe being shorter than to other main airports in western North America,[230] Edmonton Airports is working to establish a major container shipping hub called Port Alberta.[231]

Edmonton serves as a major transportation hub for Canadian National Railway, whose North American operations management centre is located at their Edmonton offices. It is also tied into the Canadian Pacific Railway network, which provides service from Calgary to the south and extends northeast of Edmonton to serve Alberta's Industrial Heartland.

Inter-city rail passenger rail service is provided by Via Rail's premier train, the Canadian, as it travels between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto, Ontario. Passenger trains stop at the Edmonton railway station three days a week in both directions. The train connects Edmonton to multiple stops in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.[232]

Scheduled LRT service began on April 23, 1978, with five extensions of the single line completed since.[240] The original Edmonton line is considered to be the first "modern" light rail line in North America (i.e., built from scratch, rather than being an upgrade of an old system). It introduced the use of German-designed rolling stock that subsequently became the standard light rail vehicle of the United States.[240] The Edmonton "proof-of-payment" fare collection system adopted in 1980 – modelled after European ticket systems – became the North American transit industry's preferred approach for subsequent light rail projects.[241] The four-year South LRT extension was opened in full on April 24, 2010, which sees trains travelling to Century Park[242] (located at 23 Avenue and 111 Street), making stops at South Campus and Southgate Centre along the way.[242] A line to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in north-central Edmonton using the same high floor technology of the existing system opened September 6, 2015. Edmonton is also expanding the LRT to Mill Woods (the southeast) by 2020 and to Lewis Farms (the west) thereafter using low floor technology.

A largely gridded system forms most of Edmonton's street and road network.[243] The address system is mostly numbered, with streets running south to north and avenues running east to west. In built-up areas built since the 1950s, local streets and major roadways generally do not conform to the grid system. Major roadways include Kingsway, Yellowhead Trail (Highway 16), Whitemud Drive and Anthony Henday Drive.

Edmonton's first power company established itself in 1891 and installed streetlights along the city's main avenue, Jasper Avenue. The power company was bought by the Town of Edmonton in 1902 and remains under municipal ownership today as EPCOR. Also in charge of water treatment, in 2002 EPCOR installed the world's largest ultraviolet (UV) water treatment or ultraviolet disinfection system at its E. L. Smith Water Treatment Plant.[247]

Together, the Waste Management Centre and Wastewater Treatment plant are known as the Edmonton Waste Management Centre of Excellence. Research partners include the University of Alberta, the Alberta Research Council, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and Olds College.[250]

The U of A is a board-governed institution[264] that has an annual revenue of over one billion dollars.[265] In 2011/12, the university had over 38,000 students enrolled within nearly 400 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, as well as over 15,000 students enrolled in its faculty of extension.[266] The U of A is also home to the second-largest research library system in Canada.[267]

In 2010/11, MacEwan University had a total student population of over 43,000 students, including nearly 14,000 full-time students, enrolled in programs offering bachelor's degrees, university transfers, diplomas and certificates.[268] NAIT has an approximate total of 61,200 students enrolled in more than 200 programs[269] while NorQuest College has approximately 8,500 students enrolled in various full-time, part-time and continuing education programs.[270]

Edmonton has seven local broadcast television stations shown on basic cable TV or over-the-air, with the oldest broadcasters in the city being CTV (1961) and CBC (1954).[273] Most of Edmonton's conventional television stations have made the switch to over-the-air digital broadcasting. The cable television providers in Edmonton are Telus (for IPTV) and Shaw Cable. Twenty-one FM and eight AM radio stations are based in Edmonton.[274]

Edmonton has two large-circulation daily newspapers, the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun. The Journal, established in 1903 and owned by the Postmedia Network, has a daily circulation of 112,000, while the Sun, established in 1978 and owned by Sun Media, has a circulation of 55,000.[275] The Journal no longer publishes a Sunday edition as of July 2012.[276]

There is one free daily newspaper in the city, Metro.[277] The magazine Vue Weekly is published on a weekly basis and focuses on alternative news.[278] The Edmonton Examiner is a citywide community-based paper also published weekly.[279] There are also a number of smaller weekly and community newspapers.

Edmonton has five sister cities, with one American city listed by Sister Cities International.[280][281] Edmonton was Nashville's first sister city and in 2015, the cities celebrated the 25th anniversary of their partnership. In 2014 and 2015, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean visited Edmonton during the Canadian Country Music Awards and the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. At the Folk Festival, Mayor Dean addressed the crowd of 20,000 and together with civic and arts leaders, celebrated the 25th anniversary of our sister city twinning. In August 2015, more than 150 Canadians visited Nashville to attend native son Brett Kissel's Grand Ole Opry debut and to meet with Sister Cities representatives.[282] In November 2015, Doug Hoyer and Jeremy Witten represented Edmonton at World of Friendship, Nashville's annual sister cities celebration.[283]

^"Amiskwaciy History Series". City of Edmonton. Archived from the original on May 30, 2018. The name Amiskwaciy comes from Amiskwaciy Waskahikan or "Beaver Hill House", a Cree term used to describe the Edmonton area.

^"Numbered Treaty Overview". Canadiana.org (Formerly Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions). Canada in the Making. Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2009. The Numbered Treaties - also called the Land Cession or Post-Confederation Treaties - were signed between 1871 and 1921, and granted the federal government large tracts of land throughout the Prairies, Canadian North and Northwestern Ontario for white settlement and industrial use. In exchange for the land, Canada promised to give the Aboriginal peoples various items: cash, blankets, tools, farming supplies, and so on. The impact of these treaties can be still felt in modern times.

^Liz Osborn. "Coldest Canadian Cities in Winter". Current Results Publishing Ltd. Archived from the original on August 5, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2009. The cities included in these rankings are Canada's largest metropolitan areas. These are the 33 urban regions that had over 100,000 people according to the 2011 census by Statistics Canada. The temperature data are averages of weather measurements made from 1981 to 2010.

^Plunkett, T.J.; Lightbody, James (1982). "Tribunals, Politics, and the Public Interest: The Edmonton Annexation Case". Canadian Public Policy. University of Toronto Press. 8 (2): 207–221. doi:10.2307/3550157. JSTOR3550157.

^"Table IX: Population of cities, towns and incorporated villages in 1906 and 1901 as classed in 1906". Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906. Sessional Paper No. 17a. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1907. p. 100.

^"Table I: Area and Population of Canada by Provinces, Districts and Subdistricts in 1911 and Population in 1901". Census of Canada, 1911. Volume I. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1912. pp. 2–39.

^"Table I: Population of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta by Districts, Townships, Cities, Towns, and Incorporated Villages in 1916, 1911, 1906, and 1901". Census of Prairie Provinces, 1916. Population and Agriculture. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1918. pp. 77–140.

^"Table 8: Population by districts and sub-districts according to the Redistribution Act of 1914 and the amending act of 1915, compared for the census years 1921, 1911 and 1901". Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1922. pp. 169–215.

^"Table 7: Population of cities, towns and villages for the province of Alberta in census years 1901–26, as classed in 1926". Census of Prairie Provinces, 1926. Census of Alberta, 1926. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1927. pp. 565–567.

^"Table 12: Population of Canada by provinces, counties or census divisions and subdivisions, 1871–1931". Census of Canada, 1931. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1932. pp. 98–102.

1.
Downtown Edmonton
–
Downtown Edmonton is the central business district of Edmonton, Alberta. Surrounding neighbourhoods include Oliver to the west, Queen Mary Park, Central McDougall, and McCauley to the north, Boyle Street and Riverdale to the east, and Rossdale to the south. The arts district is in the part of the core with many award winning institutions like the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. Edmonton City Hall is also located here with all buildings facing onto Sir Winston Churchill Square. It is also the site of the new Art Gallery of Alberta, which opened in early 2010, Churchill Square is the main downtown square in Edmonton, and is the heart of the Arts District. The square plays host to a majority of festivals and events in Greater Edmonton. It is bordered on the north by 102A Avenue, on the west by 100 Street, on the south by 102 Avenue, Government Centre is an informal district located at the southwest corner of the downtown core and is the home of the Alberta provincial government. The most notable feature of this part of downtown is the Alberta Legislature Building and its parks, fountains. An underground pedway system connects the Legislature to several of the buildings, including the historic Bowker Building. Federal government offices were housed in the Federal Building at the north-east corner of Government Centre until they relocated to Canada Place, located at the east edge of downtown, in the 1980s. The Federal Building is undergoing a $356 million renovation due to be completed in 2015 for provincial government offices, Transit service is provided by the Government Centre Transit Centre located near the Federal Building and by Grandin LRT Station located just to the west. Jasper Avenue is the main street. It starts at 77 Street in the east, running south west along the edge of Boyle Street until it reaches the downtown core. It then runs due west through downtown and the neighbourhood of Oliver until it reaches 125 Street, Jasper Avenue is a major public transit route as several of Edmontons busiest bus routes travel along it. The LRT travels underneath Jasper Avenue between 99 and 110 Streets, Jasper Avenue has no street number but sits where 101 Avenue would otherwise be. Rice Howard Way comprises 100A Street between Jasper Avenue and 102 Avenue and 101A Avenue between 100 St and 101 St, the portion of 101A Avenue between 100A Street and 101 Street was closed to traffic, making it an open air pedestrian walkway. The rest of Rice Howard Way is open to vehicular traffic, Rice Howard Way has a few prominent office towers like Scotia Place and some restaurants. Rice Howard Ways southern edge has an entrance to the Central LRT Station, the Warehouse District is located between Jasper Avenue and 104 Avenue and between 102 Street and 109 Street

2.
Fort Edmonton Park
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Fort Edmonton Park is an attraction in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Named for the first enduring European post in the area of modern-day Edmonton and it includes both original and rebuilt historical structures representing the history of Edmonton, and is staffed during the summer by costumed historical interpreters. The history of Fort Edmonton Parks conception goes back as far as 1915, a renewed interest after the Second World War began the momentum that saw the park begin construction in 1969 under the direction of the Fort Edmonton Foundation. This original plan speculated that the park would be spread over ten phases. The fort was the first portion of the park to open in 1974,1885 Street opened by the late 1970s, followed by 1905 Street in the early 1980s, and then 1920 Street by the beginning of the 1990s. A working steam train has transported visitors from the entrance to the fort since 1977. Each street was opened as a work in progress, and the latest version of the development plan calls for still more additions. As of 2008, Fort Edmonton Park is made up of four sections, each representing an era, the park is located along the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River in southwestern Edmonton. The first era is represented by the fort of 1846, followed by 1885 Street,1905 Street, aside from the train, visitors may also ride horse-drawn carriages, streetcars, and automobiles in the appropriate eras. From May long weekend through to Labour Day, and Sundays in September and these personnel utilize a variety of techniques to reveal the lifestyles and attitudes of the era that they represent. Additionally, throughout the year, public tours may be booked with non-costumed interpreters, chronologically, the first phase of Fort Edmonton Park is the eponymous Hudsons Bay Company fort, representing the fur trade era. The fort is not the original, it has been using a scale plan diagram drawn by British Lieutenant Mervin Vavasour. Other accounts, such as the journals of the forts denizens, a Cree camp is found just outside the forts palisade, itself a representation of the indigenous First Nations, whose trade of furs and provisions was vital to the historical forts operation. York Boat A replica York boat is displayed near the river and is moored in the water. Another York boat may be seen under construction within the walls of the fort, the Rowand House The imposing residence of John Rowand and his family, this massive structure was one of the largest houses in present-day western Canada in its own time. The house has four levels, and they are, one for servants, one for dining and business, one for the family and guest rooms, and a garret for storage. The Mens Quarters Directly opposite of the Rowand House on the forts courtyard, some quarters are also the workspace of the forts skilled tradesmen. Many beds furnish these quarters, as each small apartment was to several working men and, if married

3.
Alberta Legislature Building
–
The Alberta Legislature Building is located in Edmonton, Alberta, and is the meeting place of the Legislative Assembly and the Executive Council. It is known to Edmontonians as the Ledge, the building is located on a promontory which was once the location of Fort Edmonton, Mark V, a Hudsons Bay Company fur-trading post. It is just up the hill from the finds at Rossdale Flats to the east. The legislatures location was selected shortly after Edmonton was confirmed as the capital by the first session of the Legislature in 1906. To the north lies the Government Centre district within Downtown Edmonton, south of Jasper Avenue, here are found several provincial government office buildings including the recently renovated Federal Building. A short section of 108 Street, called Capital Boulevard, is anchored by two terminating vistas, the legislature and MacEwan Universitys City Centre Campus, MacEwan is a part of the Old Canadian National rail yard redevelopment. Immediately east is the Legislature Annex Building and the Government Centre transit centre, montreal architect Percy Nobbs helped with the final revisions. Allan Merrick Jeffers served as the Alberta Provincial Architect from September 1907 to 1910, the Alberta Archives hold drawings for virtually all provincial buildings executed under his supervision. Jeffers may have influenced by the State House of Rhode Island. The style was associated originally with the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was fashionable in North America between 1895 and 1920, the use of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian architectural influences was considered appropriate for a public building, as they suggested power, permanence, and tradition. The dome has made by Gibbs and Canning of Tamworth, Staffordshire. The building is supported on piles and constructed around a steel skeleton. The first floor is faced with Vancouver Island granite, upper floors feature sandstone from the Glenbow Quarry in Calgary, the interior fittings include imported marble, mahogany, oak, and brass. The building is about 57 metres in height, the project cost over $2 million at the time. The security of the Legislature building and surrounding grounds are the responsibility of the Alberta Sheriffs Branch, the Alberta Legislature Building is located at 1080197 Avenue NW, Edmonton. Free tours of the facility are offered throughout the week, the building is also connected via underground walkway to the Grandin/Government Centre LRT station. Also, for the centennial, the Queen unveiled in the same structure a series of stained glass windows that highlight the role of the monarchy in Alberta over the previous century

4.
Rogers Place
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Rogers Place is a multi-use indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is mainly used for ice hockey and other indoor sports, construction started in March 2014, and the building officially opened on September 8,2016. The arena has a capacity of 18,347 as a hockey venue and 20,734 as a concert venue. It replaced Northlands Coliseum as the home of the NHLs Edmonton Oilers, the arena is located at the block between 101st and 104th Street and 104th and 105th Ave. Public transit access to the arena is provided by the Edmonton Light Rail Transit system, the arena building was initially estimated to cost $450 million. The City of Edmonton was to pay $125 million, the Katz Group of Companies was to contribute $100 million, the remaining money was expected to come from the province or federal agencies. Estimated cost then increased substantially during continued discussions to a current estimated price of $480 million for the arena, on October 26,2011, the Edmonton City Council approved a funding framework for the arena by a vote of 10 to 3. Katz chipped in an additional $15 million through the Edmonton Arena Corporation, on December 3,2013, Rogers Communications announced a 10-year naming rights deal for the new arena, henceforth known as Rogers Place. On February 11,2014, it was announced that the project was completely funded, construction of the new arena broke ground in March 2014. Rogers Place officially opened on September 8,2016, as of December 8,2014, $2.5 billion in downtown development has been directly connected to Rogers Place. In March 2014 Brad J. Lamb announced $225 million of investment planned to build two new condo towers, the towers are directly correlated to the arena going ahead. These towers would accommodate approximately 1,300 dwellings, Rogers Place is estimated to increase the value of real estate within a 1.6 kilometre radius by hundreds of millions of dollars, according to University of Alberta economist Brad Humphreys. In early 2014 there were far fewer options to lease or purchase as competition mounted, the name was discussed by stakeholders, partners, and vetted by focus groups. Official website City website, Arena and Entertainment District

5.
Muttart Conservatory
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The Muttart Conservatory is a botanical garden located in the North Saskatchewan river valley, across from downtown Edmonton. A fifth minor skylight pyramid lights up the central foyer, the conservatory is staffed and operated by the Edmonton Parks and Recreation Department. The conservatorys unusual structure, designed by architect Peter Hemingway is composed of four glassed pyramids built around a service core. The two larger pyramids are 660 square metres in area, and the two medium-sized ones are 410 square metres in size, the Temperate pyramid houses plants typical of temperate climets, from such zones as the southern Great Lakes, Australia, and even the mountainous areas of Asia. Near the entrance and fed by a stream is a bog area, with water lilies. The bog merges into a woodland with mostly eastern deciduous trees and low shrubs but including redwoods, cedars, eucalyptus trees and flowering shrubs complement the Australian section. In the woodland floor and alpine section are many tiny flowering plants, some native to Alberta, carefully controlled environmental conditions allow the plants to go dormant in winter and burst into spring growth of green leaves and colourful blooms. The plants from the Arid pyramid come from the hot and cold dry areas spanning five continents and they share an ability to thrive in environments with dry air, irregular moisture and wide day/night temperature fluctuations. In spring 2013, the Arid Pyramid featured an Agave Americana plant bloom which reached a height of 30 feet before reaching the top of the pyramid and this plant was planted a year after the Muttart Conservatory first opened. The Tropical pyramid provides a diversity of species, under a canopy of tall palms, banana and weeping fig are orchids, various hibiscus. The plants come from tropical rainforests, tropical forests or tropical grasslands. A waterfall cascades into the centre of the pyramid where small fish and this pyramid has also been home in the past to a kiwi bird and a sloth. On March 11,2013, the bud to an imported Amorphophallus titanum plant budded and bloomed here on April 22, the Feature pyramid offers seasonal displays that change completely several times per year providing new experiences for visitors. Uniquely themed displays and fabulous seasonal celebrations highlight the creativity of the Muttart staff, arriving with summer are geraniums, begonias, roses, and others. Other amenities at the facility are an outdoor gazebo, gift shop, the café serves several menu items of soups, salads, and sandwiches made with locally-sourced ingredients, including herbs and salad greens grown on-site at the greenhouse. The facility, owned and operated by the City of Edmonton, is also a site for special events. The conservatory underwent a $6.3 million renovation that was completed in June 2009, list of botanical gardens in Canada Muttart Conservatory website

6.
Provinces and territories of Canada
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Canadas geography is divided into administrative divisions known as provinces and territories that are responsible for delivery of sub-national governance. Over its history, Canadas international borders have changed several times, the ten provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. Several of the provinces were former British colonies, Quebec was originally a French colony, the three territories are Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon, which govern the rest of the area of the former British North America. Together, the provinces and territories make up the worlds second-largest country by area, the powers flowing from the Constitution Act are divided between the federal government and the provincial governments to exercise exclusively. In modern Canadian constitutional theory, the provinces are considered to be co-sovereign divisions, the territories are not sovereign, but simply part of the federal realm, and have a commissioner who represents the federal government. Notes, There are three territories in Canada, unlike the provinces, the territories of Canada have no inherent sovereignty and have only those powers delegated to them by the federal government. They include all of mainland Canada north of latitude 60° north and west of Hudson Bay, the following table lists the territories in order of precedence. Prior to Confederation, Ontario and Quebec were united as the Province of Canada, over the following years, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island were added as provinces. The Hudsons Bay Company controlled large swathes of western Canada referred to as Ruperts Land and the North-Western Territory until 1870, subsequently, the area was re-organized into the province of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories. The remaining Arctic islands were transferred by Britain to Canada in 1880,1898 saw the Yukon Territory, later renamed simply as Yukon, carved from the parts of the Northwest Territories surrounding the Klondike gold fields. On September 1,1905, a portion of the Northwest Territories south of the 60th parallel north became the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1912, the boundaries of Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba were expanded northward, Manitobas to the 60° parallel, Ontarios to Hudson Bay, in 1907, Newfoundland acquired dominion status. In the middle of the Great Depression in Canada with Newfoundland facing a period of economic crisis. In 2001, it was officially renamed Newfoundland and Labrador, in 1903, the Alaska Panhandle Dispute fixed British Columbias northwestern boundary. This was one of two provinces in Canadian history to have its size reduced. In 1999, Nunavut was created from the portion of the Northwest Territories. Yukon lies in the portion of The North, while Nunavut is in the east. All three territories combined are the most sparsely populated region in Canada, covering 3,921,739 km2 in land area and they are often referred to as a single region, The North, for organisational and economic purposes

7.
Alberta
–
Alberta is a western province of Canada. With an estimated population of 4,196,457 as of July 1,2015, it is Canadas fourth-most populous province and its area is about 660,000 square kilometres. Alberta and its neighbour Saskatchewan were districts of the Northwest Territories until they were established as provinces on September 1,1905, the premier has been Rachel Notley since May 2015. Alberta is bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U. S. state of Montana to the south. Alberta is one of three Canadian provinces and territories to only a single U. S. state and one of only two landlocked provinces. About 290 km south of the capital is Calgary, the largest city in Alberta, Calgary and Edmonton centre Albertas two census metropolitan areas, both of which have populations exceeding one million, while the province has 16 census agglomerations. Tourist destinations in the province include Banff, Canmore, Drumheller, Jasper, Alberta is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Victoria, Queen of Canada, and Albert, Prince Consort. Princess Louise was the wife of John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, Lake Louise and Mount Alberta were also named in her honour. Alberta, with an area of 661,848 km2, is the fourth largest province after Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. To the south, the borders on the 49th parallel north, separating it from the US state of Montana. The province extends 1,223 km north to south and 660 km east to west at its maximum width, with the exception of the semi-arid steppe of the south-eastern section, the province has adequate water resources. There are numerous rivers and lakes used for swimming, fishing, there are three large lakes, Lake Claire in Wood Buffalo National Park, Lesser Slave Lake, and Lake Athabasca which lies in both Alberta and Saskatchewan. The longest river in the province is the Athabasca River which travels 1,538 km from the Columbia Icefield in the Rocky Mountains to Lake Athabasca, the largest river is the Peace River with an average flow of 2161 m3/s. The Peace River originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows through northern Alberta and into the Slave River, Albertas capital city, Edmonton, is located approximately in the geographic centre of the province. It is the most northerly city in Canada, and serves as a gateway. The region, with its proximity to Canadas largest oil fields, has most of western Canadas oil refinery capacity, Calgary is located approximately 280 km south of Edmonton and 240 km north of Montana, surrounded by extensive ranching country. Almost 75% of the population lives in the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. The land grant policy to the served as a means to populate the province in its early years

8.
Edmonton Metropolitan Region
–
The ECRs commonly known boundaries are coincident with those of the Edmonton census metropolitan area as delineated by Statistics Canada. However, its boundaries are defined differently for Capital Region Board administrative purposes, the ECR is considered a major gateway to northern Alberta and the Canadian North, particularly for many companies, including airlines and oil/natural gas exploration. Located within central Alberta and at the end of the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. The Edmonton CMA is the largest CMA in Canada by area at 9,426.73 km2, in the 2011 Census, it had a population of 1,159,869, making it the sixth largest CMA in Canada by population. The Edmonton CMA comprises the majority of Statistics Canadas Division No.11 in Alberta, a fragmentation in regional cooperation and partnership has long played a divisive role within the ECR. As a result, Premier Ed Stelmach announced in December 2007 that a governing board would be established for Edmontons Capital Region. Four months later, the Capital Region Board was formed with the passing of the Capital Region Board Regulation by Order in Council 127/2008 under the authority of the Municipal Government Act. The CRB was originally established with 25 participating or member municipalities –23 of which were within the Edmonton CMA and two of which were outside the CMA. The number of municipalities was reduced to 24 on September 10,2010 after the Village of New Sarepta dissolved to hamlet status under the jurisdiction of Leduc County on September 1,2010. Of the 35 census subdivisions within the Edmonton CMA, the Village of Spring Lake, in March,2010, Growing Forward, The Capital Region Growth Plan, consisting of individual plans for these four components and two addenda, was approved by the Government of Alberta. The CRGP includes a population and employment forecast for the Capital Region, with a base population of 1.12 million in 2009, the CRB has forecasted the population of the Capital Region to reach 1.31 million by 2019. However, the 2019 population estimate was reached and exceeded by 2014, the CRGP also designates priority growth areas and cluster country residential areas within the Capital Region. The following is a list of municipalities in the Edmonton Capital Region, the Town of Lamont, Lamont County and members of the CRB are indicated accordingly. ^ Strathcona Countys 2011 federal census population of 92,490 includes 64,733 in the Sherwood Park urban service area, ^ Strathcona Countys 2015 municipal census population of 95,597 includes 68,782 in Sherwood Park. ^ The combined Wabamun 133A and 133B population of 1,086 includes 1,069 in Wabamun 133A and 17 in Wabamun 133B, ^ Population including Lamont and Lamont County. At the moment, two major industrial areas are in the final stages of establishment. Calgary-Edmonton Corridor Calgary Region Capital Region Board Edmonton. com - Portal to Greater Edmonton EEDC - Edmonton Economic Development Corporation Edmontons International Region

9.
Edmonton, London
–
Edmonton is an area in the east of the London Borough of Enfield, England,8.6 miles north-north-east of Charing Cross. It has a history as a settlement distinct from Enfield. Edmonton is 8.6 miles north-north-east of Charing Cross and stretches from just south of the North Circular Road where it borders Tottenham to its boundary with Ponders End to the north. Bush Hill Park, Winchmore Hill and Palmers Green adjoin the western boundary while the River Lee Diversion forms Edmontons eastern boundary with Chingford, the northern part of Edmonton, N9 postal area is known as Lower Edmonton and the southern part as Upper Edmonton, N18 postal area. The old highway Ermine Street passed through what is today Edmonton, Ermine Street was the main Roman Road from London through Lincoln and on to York. Edmonton appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as Adelmetone- a farmstead or estate of a man called Ēadhelm from an Old English personal name and tūn. Local government in the modern sense began in 1837 with the Edmonton Union and this also covered a wide district of 47,102 acres, including the modern boroughs of Haringey and Enfield, plus Cheshunt, Waltham Abbey and Waltham Cross. The town hall was built in 1884 and extended in 1903, the population of this area grew rapidly, reaching 445,875 by 1911 and would today be about 615,000. As the population mushroomed Middlesex was subdivided into many local government areas. At the 1961 census the borough had a population of 91,956 and this was absorbed into the London Borough of Enfield in 1965, and the former Town Hall and civic buildings were controversially demolished by Enfield Council in 1989. Pymmes Park with its walled garden is Upper Edmontons park. Pymmes Park originated as a private estate, in the late 16th century it was owned by the powerful Cecil family. In 1589 Robert Cecil, later 1st Earl of Salisbury, spent his honeymoon at Pymmes, Cecil was a protege of Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth Is chief spymaster and he succeeded him as Secretary of State in 1590. The estate was acquired by Edmonton Council and opened as a public park in 1906. Pymmes House was destroyed by fire during World War II and the remains were demolished, in the 17th century the then rural Edmonton had a reputation for supernatural activities. In approximately 1600, a play entitled The Merry Devil of Edmonton was performed in London about a wizard who lived there, the historic All Saints Church is situated in Church Street as is Lambs Cottage, which was home to writers Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb. John Keats, the poet, was apprenticed to surgeon Dr. Hammond in Church Street between 1810-1816, the house was demolished in 1931 to be replaced by Keats Parade. An extant shop carries a plaque in commemoration

10.
Conservative Party of Canada
–
The Conservative Party of Canada, colloquially known as the Tories, is a political party in Canada. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum, the partys leader from 2004 to 2015 was Stephen Harper, who served as Prime Minister from 2006 to 2015. The Conservative Party is the successor to multiple right-wing parties which have existed in Canada for over a century, until 1942, one of the partys predecessors was known as the Conservative Party of Canada, and participated in numerous governments. Before 1942, the predecessors to the Conservatives had multiple names, but by 1942, in 1957, John Diefenbaker became the first Prime Minister from the Progressive Conservative Party, and remained in office until 1963. Another Progressive Conservative government was elected after the results of the 1979 federal election, Clark served from 1979 to 1980, when he was defeated by the Liberal Party after the 1980 federal election. In 1984, the Progressive Conservatives won with Brian Mulroney becoming Prime Minister, Mulroney was Prime Minister from 1984 to 1993, and his government was marked by free trade agreements and economic liberalization. A similar result occurred in 1997, and in 2000, when the Reform Party became the Canadian Alliance, in 2003, the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservatives merged, forming the Conservative Party of Canada. The party is currently being led by interim leader Rona Ambrose as it is undergoing a leadership election, which will take place in 2017. John Lynch-Staunton served as leader of the newly created Conservative Party of Canada from 8 December 2003 until 20 March 2004. On 19 January 2016, the party announced that a permanent leader will be elected on 27 May 2017, the National Council is the partys national governing body that is elected by the Conservative Party membership at its bi-annual meetings. A National Councillor is elected for a term and cannot serve for more than three consecutive terms. The party president is elected by National Council following their election, since 2016, the President of the Conservative Party has been Scott Lamb, a councillor representing British Columbia. The party President is the conduit between the Party Leader and the National Council, don Plett interim until 2005 John Walsh Scott Lamb The Executive Director answers to the party President, and is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the party. From February 2009 to October 2013, the Executive Director was Dan Hilton, from October to December 2013, the Acting Executive Director was Dave Forestell. Dimitri Soudas was named the new Executive Director in December 2013, on 30 March 2014, Soudas was told to resign or be fired from the position after allegedly interfering with the nomination contest taking place in his fiancees riding. On 30 March 2014, Simon Thompson was named as interim Executive Director, Thompson was previously the partys Chief Information Officer. In July 2014, Dustin Van Vugt was brought in as the Deputy Executive Director – a position created specifically for him, in October 2014, Van Vugts position was unanimously ratified by the partys National Council, and Thompson became the Chief Operations Officer. The Director of Political Operations reports to the Executive Director, and is one of the most important positions within the party

11.
Liberal Party of Canada
–
The Liberal Party of Canada, colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federal political party in Canada. The party espouses the principles of liberalism, and generally sits at the centre of the Canadian political spectrum, the Liberal Party is traditionally positioned to the left of the Conservative Party of Canada and to the right of the New Democratic Party. During the beginning of the 21st century, the party lost a significant amount of support, in the present times, the Liberal party has favoured a variety of big tent policies from both right and left of the political spectrum. It also legalized same-sex marriage and allowed the use of cannabis for medical purposes, during the 2015 election, the Liberal partys proposed policies included, Cut the middle class tax bracket from 22% to 20.88 per $100 to $1. In the 29 years after Canadian confederation, the Liberals were consigned to opposition, with the exception of one stint in government. Alexander Mackenzie was able to lead the party to power for the first time in 1873, Mackenzie subsequently won the 1874 election, and served as Prime Minister for an additional four years. However the party was able to build a solid support base in Ontario. The Liberals would spend the next 18 years in opposition, in their early history, the Liberals were the party of continentalism and opposition to imperialism. The Liberals also became identified with the aspirations of Quebecers as a result of the hostility of French Canadians to the Conservatives. It was not until Wilfrid Laurier became leader that the Liberal Party emerged as a modern party, Laurier was able to capitalize on the Tories alienation of French Canada by offering the Liberals as a credible alternative. Laurier was able to overcome the reputation for anti-clericalism that offended the still-powerful Quebec Roman Catholic Church. In English-speaking Canada, the Liberal Partys support for reciprocity made it popular among farmers, Laurier led the Liberals to power in the 1896 election, and oversaw a government that increased immigration in order to settle Western Canada. Lauriers government created the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta out of the North-West Territories, there was no national membership of the party, an individual became a member by joining a provincial Liberal party. The new organization allowed individuals to join the national Liberal Party for the first time. No national convention was held, however, until 1948, the Liberal Party held only three national conventions prior to the 1950s – in 1893,1919 and 1948). Over time, provincial Liberal parties in most provinces were separated from provincial wings of the federal party, by the 1980s, the National Liberal Federation was officially known as the Liberal Party of Canada. Under Laurier, and his successor William Lyon Mackenzie King, the Liberals promoted Canadian sovereignty, after the King–Byng Affair of 1926, the Liberals argued that the Governor General of Canada should no longer be appointed on the recommendation of the British government. The decisions of the Imperial Conferences were formalized in the Statute of Westminster, which was passed in 1931

12.
New Democratic Party
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The New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in Canada. Mulcair will remain as leader, until his replacement is chosen at an election to be held in 2017. The NDP was founded in 1961 out of the merger of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation with the Canadian Labour Congress, one provincial wing of the NDP forms government in Alberta. Unlike other political parties in Canada, the federal and provincial level NDPs are fully integrated, following the 1993 federal election the NDP was reduced to fourth place behind the Bloc Québécois, a position it would maintain for most of the next two decades. The NDP then lost 59 seats during the 2015 federal election and fell back to place in Parliament. The NDP evolved in 1961 from a merger of the Canadian Labour Congress, the CCF grew from populist, agrarian and socialist roots into a modern socialist party. Although the CCF was part of the Christian left and the Social Gospel movement and it has broadened to include concerns of the New Left, and advocates issues such as LGBT rights, international peace, and environmental stewardship. It formed the Official Opposition for the first time in the 41st Canadian Parliament, before 2011, the party had been a stable presence in the Canadian parliament, and was the third largest political party from 1961 to 1993, when the party lost official status. The NDPs peak period of influence in those periods was during the minority Liberal governments of Lester B. Pearson. After reattaining official party status in 1997, the NDP played a role in the Liberal. Provincial New Democratic parties, which are sections of the federal party, have governed in six of the ten provinces. The NDP has previously formed the government in the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, while members of the party are active municipally, the party does not organize at that level. For example, though former Toronto mayor David Miller was an NDP member during his successful 2003 and 2006 mayoral campaigns, his campaigns were not affiliated with the NDP. In 1958 a joint CCF-CLC committee, the National Committee for the New Party, was formed to create a new political party. The NCNP spent the three years laying down the foundations of the New Party. In 1960, before the NDP was founded, one candidate, Walter Pitman, the influence of organized labour on the party is still reflected in the partys conventions as affiliated trade unions send delegates on a formula based on their number of members. At the 1971 leadership convention, an activist group called The Waffle tried to control of the party. The following year, most of The Waffle split from the NDP, the NDP itself supported the minority government formed by the Pierre Trudeau-led Liberals from 1972 to 1974, although the two parties never entered into a coalition